Sustainability at the heart of the International Biofuels Conference

IUCN representatives are addressing biofuel sustainability issues at the 7th International Biofuels Conference, which opens today in India.

It brings together specialists and experts from across the globe to discuss the most pressing issues related to biofuels and propose practical solutions, both from an Indian and global perspective.

IUCN President, Ashok Khosla, will be giving a keynote address in the opening session of the conference.

The conference is being organized by IUCN Member Winrock International India, in partnership with IUCN and Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. It is taking place in New Delhi.

Biofuels reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with transport; they provide an alternative to costly fossil fuels and promote rural development. However, biofuel developments can also exacerbate environmental problems linked to industrial agriculture: land-use change, deforestation, water use and invasive species. Those issues will be addressed during the biofuel sustainability session, led by the IUCN team and chaired by IUCN President Ashok Khosla.

Other key IUCN speakers will include Jeff McNeely, former IUCN Chief Scientist, who will be discussing international biofuel policies and biofuel sustainability schemes, Ganesh Pangare, Water Programme Coordinator from IUCN’s Asia office, who will be speaking about water and biofuels, and Nadine McCormick, IUCN’s Energy Network Coordinator, who will present solutions to reduce the risk of indirect land-use change linked to biofuel developments.

IUCN’s latest report, Guidelines on Biofuels and Invasive Species, will be launched at the conference tomorrow.